Railway carrier for automotive vehicles



Feb. 27, 1968 5, DE PQDESTA ErAL 3,370,552

RAILWAY CARRIER FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original FiledFeb. 27, 1961 CHARLES M. BURT Feb. 27, 1968 F. 8. DE PODESTA ETAL3,370,552

RAILWAY CARRIER FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiledFeb. 27, 1961 INVENTORS T INA/ES CHARLES M. Bum- 6: DONALD E.kuLLG/E'E/v FRANK B. DEPODESTA GILBERT ATTORNEKS v Feb. 27, 1968 9, D PoEsT ETAL 3,370,552

RAILWAY CARRIER FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Original Filed Feb. 27, 1961 4Sheets-Sheet 5 I I INV 0R5 FRANK B.DEPODE5TAb6/LBEET mvss CHARLES M. Bug6: ONALD E. KULLGREN ATTORNEYS Feb. 27, 1968 F. 5. DE PODESTA ETAL3,370,552

RAILWAY CARRIER FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original FiledFeb. 27, 1961 0R3 60.5527 Zwvss NA INVE FRANK B. DEPODESTA ARLES M. 5027300 LD E. KULLGREN ATTORNEYS FIG. 6

United States Patent 3,370,552 RAILWAY CARRIER FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLESFrank B. de Podesta, Farmington, Gilbert T. Innes, Dearhorn, Charles M.Burt, Detroit, and Donald E. Kullgren, Livonia, Mich, assignors toParagon Bridge & Steel Company, Novi, Mich, a corporation of MichiganOriginal application Feb. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 91,879, now Patent N 0.3,249,167, dated Mar. 15, 1966. Divided and this application Feb. 3,1966, Ser. No. 547,098

6 Claims. (Cl. 165-363) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hinged gangplankconstruction adapted to serve as a bridging plate between vehiclereceiving decks of end coupled railroad cars. The gangplank is pivotallysecured at its inboard edge to one end of a pair of spaced hinge linkswhich in turn are pivoted at their other ends to the upper horizontalsurface of the deck inwardly of an end edge thereof. By swinging thehinge links about their pivotal mounting on the deck, the pivot axis ofthe gangplank can be shifted from outboard to inboard of said deck endedge to thereby permit the outboard end of the gangplank to becorrespondingly shifted to clear obstacles at the end of the deck of thenext car. A hand lock is also provided for said gangplank comprising ahandle bar fixed to the gangplank and a locking bar journalled on asupport on the car for interlocking engagement ith the handle bar in theraised upright position of the gangplank.

This application is a division of our co-pending application Ser. No.91,879, filed Feb. 27, 1961, now Patent No. 3,240,167, Mar. 15, 1966,and entitled, Railway Carrier for Automotive Vehicles.

This invention relates generally to transportation of vehicles by rail,and more particularly to a multi-level superstructure adapted to bemounted on a standard railway fiat car to convert the same for efficientloading and transporting of both standard size and compact typeautomotive vehicles.

In order to complete more successfully with highway transportation ofautomotive vehicles the railroads have long sought a practical railroadcar capable of economically accommodating more vehicles than arepresently transportable on a lughway haulaway trailer. The developmentof extra-length fiat cars for pig -back transport of semi-trailers hasdemonstrated that the railroads can complete favorably with the truckingindustry when proper equipment is provided. However, even the extralength, truck piggy-back flat car can only accommodate four standardsize or five or six compact automobiles of contemporary Americanmanufacture. Although several types of specially constructed multi-levelautomobile freight cars have been proposed as a solution to thisproblem, such prior art railway cars often are not economically feasibledue to high construction, maintenance and/or operation costs, or becauseof other reasons inherent in the structure thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amuIti-level automobile carrier adapted for detachably mounting on arailway flat car and which can be rapidly loaded and unloaded with acompetitive quantity of automobiles.

Yet another object is to provide a relatively low cost and lightweightmulti level superstructure which is capable of safely and securelysupporting a plurality of automotive vehicles on a railway fiat car evenwhen subjected to the high impact stresses encountered in railroadcoupling and humping operations.

3,373,552 Patented Feb. 27, 1968 A further object is to provide animproved bridge construction for quick interconnection between adjacentends of railway automobile carriers adapted to be couple-d in tandemrelation for circus loading.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a railroad fiat car having twotandem sections of a tri-level automobile carrier superstructureconstructed and detachably shock mounted thereon in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the automobilecarrier superstructure with the top of one column thereof broken away toillustrate gusset details;

FIG. 3 is a top cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2illustrating an adjustable column clamp for a gangplank latch;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end elevational view of the trilevelsuperstructure mounted on the flat car;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the gangplankstructure for bridging between the same deck levels of two automobileloading superstructures mounted on separate flat cars;

FIG. 6 is a side cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5 butenlarged therefrom to illustrate the hinge structure of the gangplanks.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional extra-length, truck piggy-backrailroad flat car 20 is shown provided with two substantially identicalsections 22 and 24 of a tri-level vehicle loading superstructureconstructed in accordance with the present invention, sections 22 and 24being shock mounted in tandem relation on the bed of the flat car toprovide a convertible automobile loader railroad car. Each of thesuperstructure sections 22, 24 generally comprises a bottom deck 26, amiddle deck 28- and top deck 39 which extend longitudinally of flat car20 and are supported in vertically spaced relation by a series oflongitudinally spaced vertical side columns 32. The adjacent ends of thetwo superstructure sections 22, 24 are connected at the bottom levelthereof by a flexible linking plate 34, and suitable wheel track platesare provided (FIGURE 5) for slidably bridging the gap between the decksof the two sections so that automobiles 36, trucks or other motorvehicles may be driven from one section to another lengthwise of therailroad car. The superstructure rests on rollers 38 one of which isjournalled in the bottom of each of the vertical columns 32 so that theentire tri-level superstructure is free to move endwise relative to flatcar 20. Four shock absorbing structures 40 are connected between thesuperstructure and the fiat car to absorb, limit and dampen such endwisemovement. Each superstructure section 22, 24 is provided with two shockabsorbing structures 40 arranged in staggered relation longitudinallythereof, one on each side of the fiat car, so that one side of each ofthe vehicles parked on the bottom deck 26 is always accessible forentrance to and exit from the vehicle. Each section 22, 24 of thesuperstructure is removable as a unit from the fiat car by means of acrane after the shock absorbing structures 40 are disconnectedtherefrom.

The details of the vertical columns 32 are best seen in FIGS. 2-5. Inaccordance with one feature of the invention, each column 32 is aone-piece beam which is preferably pressed from flat sheet stock into across sec tional configuration known as a hat section (FIG; 3)comprising a center section 42, a pair of parallel side sections 44which extend perpendicular to center section 42 and a pair of coplanarrim or flange sections 46 disposed parallel to center section 42.Columns 32 have a bowed portion 48 at the bottom thereof formed in theshape of an S-curve (FIG. 4) to provide a Wide beamed superstructureadapted to be mounted on the narrower beamed flat car 20.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the bottom, middleand top decks 26, 28 and 30 are each made from a single piece of sheetmetal, preferably of an inch thick A7 or higher strength steel, and areformed by a rolling process so as to be arched upwardly in an arc ofuniform radius to form a crowned deck (FIG. 4). After the rollingoperation the outer longitudinal edges of deck plates 26, 28 and 30 arebent upwardly to form integral vertical flanges 60, 62 and 64respectively, these flanges serving to longitudinally stiffen andstrengthen the deck plates as well as providing outer curbing for eachdeck. Each of decks 26, 28 and 30 is independently supported by thevertical columns 32 at the proper elevation to provide sufficientvertical clearance between the decks to permit passenger vehicles to bedriven lengthwise thereon from one end of the railroad car to the otherend thereof. Bottom deck 26 is afiixed in position spaced slightly abovethe bed of flat car 20 by welding side flanges 60 of the deck to columnflanges 46. Flange 60 is bowed or bent outwardly to conform with the bowin the column flanges 46 at the point of attachment. A small right angleU-gusset 61is welded in the gutters of bottom deck 26 adjacent eachcolumn 32 to stiffen side flanges 60 and hence columns 32 againstlateral flexing at the bottom thereof. The middle and upper decks 28 and30 are detachably secured to columns 32 by gusset structures which arepermanently secured to these decks, and by bolting flanges '62, 64 tocolumns 32.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the gusset structure of the inventionincludes a longitudinal gusset 66 comprising a trapezoidal plate mountedin an inverted position with the longer base edge thereof welded to theouter bottom edge of deck plates 28 and 30 so that plate 66 extendsvertically downward therefrom. Two vertical rows of holes 68 and 70 arepunched or drilled through plate 66 for alignment with similar rows ofholes 72 and 74 provided in column flanges 46. The gusset structure alsoincludes a U-section lateral gusset 76 which is pressed from a flattrapezoidal plate into a U-shapeso that the triangular portions thereofprovide a pair of inwardly extending lateral bracing arms 78 and 80. Thetriangular arm portions 78 and 80 are preferably bent from the centersection of gusset 76 along bending lines which diverge upwardly from theapexes of the short base edge of the trapezoid so that the upper edgesof arms 78 and 80 slope upwardly to conform to the arch of the deckplate, "gusset 76 being welded along these edges to the undersurface ofthe deck plate. The lateral bracing arms 78 and 80 extend inwardly to apoint approximately beneath the position of the wheels of the automotivevehicles carried on the decks. The center section of gusset 76 isprovided with two vertical rows of holes which register with holes 68and 70 in longitudinal gusset 66. A pair of gussets 66, 76 are securedto the decks adjacent each of vertical columns 32, and suitable anchorbolts 82 are inserted through the column holes 72, 74 and gusset holes68, 70 so 'as to detachably connect the decks to the columns. Slightlymodified gusset structures are employed for connecting the ends of decks28, 30 to those vertical columns 32 located at each end ofsuperstructure sections 22, 24, one of the triangular portions of gussetplate 66 being cut olf to provide a surface which is flush with theouter vertical edge of such columns (FIG. 2).

The solid arched deck plates provide a strong bracing for thesuperstructure with a minimum loss of vertical clearance between thedecks, thereby reducing the overall height of the superstructure. Sinceunused space is available below the arched bottom deck 26, a smooth,uncorrugated deck plate is used which is braced at longitudinally spacedintervals by angle irons 27 Welded to the underside thereof alongcutaway portions of the vertical flanges of the angle irons (FIG. 4),races 27 also gussets 66 also help carry the vertical load while longi-'tudinally bracing the superstructure and reinforcing the side flanges 62and 64 of the decks against bending stresses. Additional bracing may beprovided for heavy weight vehicles, such as X-bracings in the form oftwo intersecting angle irons welded between columns 32 at the shockabsorber bays, as well as U-section arched cross beams 86a welded to theundersurfaces of decks 28 and 38 so as to extend between laterallyopposite columns. By locating the upper edges of the U-section beambetween ribs 86, there is a minimum loss of vertical clearance betweenthe decks.

The tri-level superstructure sections 22, 24 are convertible to abi-level superstructure by unbolting upper deck 30 and removing the samefrom between the columns, and then unbolting middle deck 28 and shiftingit upwardly so that the gusset bolt holes 68, 70 register with theuppermost column holes 72, 74 in the middle series thereof in columns32. Middle deck 28 then becomes the top deck and is sufliciently spacedfrom bottom deck 26 to accommodate automotive vehicles such as paneltrucks and trailer tractors having greater overall height than that ofpassenger vehicles.

The one piece decks 26, 28 and 30 are further stiffened and strengthenedagainst longitudinal bowing by T-s ection beams 88 which are mounted inpairs lengthwise on the upper surface of each deck with one beamadjacent the inner edge of each wheel track (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5). Beams 88are preferably fabricated by cutting a wide flanged H-section beamlongitudinally in half to form two T-beams each comprising a horizontalplate 90 and a vertical web piece 92 which are integrally joinedtogether. The beams are aflixed to the decks by welding the bottom edgeof web 92 to the flat portions of the upper surface of the deck plate.The horizontal cross plate 90 of T-beams 88 slidably receives aplurality of holddown Windlass mechanisms 93 having flange portions 94which underlie the undersides of horizontal web 90 (FIG. 4), flangeportions 94 carrying vertical studs 95 which extend upwardly therefrominto perforations provided in horizontal cross web 90 of the beam (FIG.5). Each holddown mechanism 93 includes a chain 96 adapted forconnection to the underframes of automotive vehicles 36 in a knownmanner, four holddown mechanisms being used to anchor each vehicle. ThusT-beams 88 serve as reinforcements for the deck plates and as anchoringelements for the holddown mechanisms 93.

Referring to FIG. 5, the gap indicated at 23 between the decks ofsuperstructure sections 22 and 24 is covered by bridging plates 23a and23b which are welded to the upper surface of deck 30 of section 22. Theouter ends of plates 23a and 23b abut against the inner sides of deckside flanges 64 of superstructure section 24, thereby preventing lateralshifting of sections 22, 24 relative to one another. A cover plate 230laterally spans the entire gap between the sides of the deck, one sideof the upper.

surface of plate 230 being welded to the undersides of decks 28 and 30of section 22 so that the other side plate 23c overlaps the underside ofdecks 28 and 30 of section 24 to provide protection against drippage andto keep holddown chains from dangling in the gap. However, plates 23a,23b, 230 are free to slide longitudinally on decks 28, 30 of section 24so that sections 22, 24 can flex longitudinally relative to one anotherabout the axis of the flexible connection therebetween provided bycoupling 34 at the bottom of the sections.

In order to facilitate circus loading of the above multi levelsuperstructure, each of decks 26, 28 and 30 are provided with a hingedgangplank at diagonally op posite corners of the decks (FIGS. 1, 2 and5). This staggered arrangement of gangplanks 11% permits symmetricalcoupling of flat car with similar equipped cars without regard to therelative direction of the cars. Each gangplank 110 is of sufficientlength to bridge the distance between the adjacent coupled ends of therespective railroad cars 20, and is pivotably mounted at one end by animproved hinging structure for double jointed movement.

As shown in FIG. 5, each gangplank 110 comprises a sheet metal platehaving integral L-shaped flanges 112 and 114 extending respectivelyalong the inner and outer side edges thereof which serve to reinforcethe gangplank against bending stresses. In the horizontal, loweredposition of gangplanks 110, flange 112 extends above the upper surfaceof the gangplank to provide an inner curbing to prevent vehicles fromrunning off the side edges of the gangplank, while the outer flanges 114extend downwardly from the plane of the gangplank and serve as a supportfor a combination handle and latch bar 116 extending outwardly therefromparallel to the plane of gangplank 110.

A rod 118 is welded to the bottom edge of gangplank 110 which extendsbeyond the opposite side edges thereof to provide pivot pins forrotatably receiving a hinge link 12%) on each end of the rod. Hinge link128 is a one piece casting which includes respectively an eye portion122 (FIG. 6) provided with a bore adapted to rotatably receive rod 118,an arm 124 extending tangentially from the periphery of eye portion 122and a cross arm 126 at the end of arm 124 extending parallel with theaxis of the bore in eye portion 122. Cross arm 126 of hinge link 120 isjournalled on deck plates 26, 28, 3G by a pair of inverted U-straps 128which are spot welded to the upper surfaces of the decks. Straps 128 arepositioned inwardly of the lateral end edge of the decks so that eyeportion 122 of link 120 is disposed outwardly beyond such edge when link120 is in the horizontal position indicated in solid lines in FIGS. 5and 6. In this position, the supporting surface of gangplank 110 isflush with the deck for bridging between the adjacent ends of deckslocated at the same level in the respective superstructures of the endcoupled railroad cars.

After the superstructures are loaded with vehicles, gangplanks 113 areraised from the lowered position by being pivoted upwardly about theaxis of shaft 118 to a raised vertical position as illustrated in FIG. 2with respect to the gangplanks provided for the bottom and middle decks26 and 28. In this vertical position gangplanks 11% serve as tailgatesfor each deck, the gangplanks being held in position by locking handle115 with a latch bar 139 horizontally journalled on end columns 32.Latch bar 130 is provided with a pair of axially spaced apart washers131 and 132 welded on the horizontal portion thereof, and the outer end130a of bar 130 is bent back at an acute angle to the horizontal portionthereof so as to terminate in the plane of outer washer 131 (FIG. 3).

' To lock the gangplank in the upright position thereof,

latch bar 139 is rotated until arm 130a extends vertically upward, andthen gangplank 110 is pivoted to a vertical position in which a hookshaped portion 115a of gangplank handle 116 abuts against washer 131 andthe underside of bar 130. Latch bar arm 136a is then rotated clockwisedownwardly, the resilience of arm 139a and of the upright portion ofhandle 1116 allowing the angled arm 136a to be cammed thereover and thenserving to bias arm 130a in a downwardly extending unstrained positionwherein handle 116 is locked between washer 131 and arm 130a.

The latch bar 130 provided for gangplank 110 of bottom deck 26 isjournalled at a fixed elevation on column 32 by a pair of U-strapswelded to the inner sides of the respective flanges 46 of the column(FIG. 4). Another washer 133 is welded to latch bar 130 intermediate thecolumn side sections 44 which, together with washer 132, limits axialmovement'of the latch bar.

In order to permit vertical adjustment of the latch bar 130 provided forgangplank 110 of middle deck 28, a clamp structure is provided (FIG. 3)which comprises a plate 134 bent along vertical bending lines into an S-shape to conform to column 32. One vertical edge of plate 134 has areversely bent lip portion 134a which grips the vertical edge of thecolumn flange 46 facing the gangplank, while the other vertical edge 13%of plate 134 is bent at an acute angle to the opposite side section 44of the column so as to dig into the surface thereof. A pair ofvertically spaced horizontal screws 135 having conically recessedforward ends are threadably received in nuts 135 which are welded to thecentral lateral portion of plate 134 in co-axial alignment with suitablescrew holes therein. A lock nut 137 is threadably received on each screw135 which is screwed against plate 134 to lock screw 135 againstrotation. When screws 135 are threaded towards the gangplank side ofcolumn 32, the angled edge 1341'; of the plate is forced into one columnside 44 while the forward ends of the screws bite into the other columnside 44, thereby securely clamping plate 134 to the column. Thelongitudinal portion of plate 134 adjacent column flange as has aU-strap 137 welded thereto in which latch bar 130 is journalled forrotation about a horizontal axis.

The latch bar 130 provided for the gangplank 110 of top deck 30 issimilarly journalled on the upper end of a U-section channel post 13%(FIG. 2) which is telescopically mounted within the top of column 32 atthe gangplank corner of the superstructure. A latch structure (FIG. 4)comprising a T-bar 139a journalled for vertical axial movement in aU-strap 13921 is provided for engaging between a lug 1390 in post 138and the upper edge of deck side flange 64 to hold post 138 in the raisedposition thereof. To release this latch, post 138 is raised and T-bar139a rotated so that it is free of lug 1390.

Each gangplank lltl has a suitable length of flexible chain 139 (FIG. 5)connected at the respective ends thereof to gangplank flange 114- and tocolumn 32 (or to clamp plate 134 or post 138 in the case of thegangpianks for the middle and top decks). Chains 139 are used in raisingand lowering the gangplanks and also serve as safety chains to preventthe gangplanks from pivoting downward more than a few degrees below thehorizontal bridging position thereof. Sufiicient slack exists in thechain in the horizontal position of the gangplank to insure adequatelateral clearance for passage of vehicles past the chains.

The double jointed hinging of gangplanks is utilized to advantage whenthe bumper of an automotive vehicle is in a position close to oroverhanging the edge of the deck. A bumper so located interferes withthe swingiug movement of gangplanks 119 when pivoted about the axis ofshaft 118 with link in the extended position of FIG. 2. When thissituation occurs it is a simple matter to swing the bottom edge .of thegangplank inboard of deck 30 so that link 120 lies flush against deck 30in the dotted position illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. When so retracted,the gangplank clears the bumper or other obstruction as it is pivotablyraised or lowered, and when once past the obstruction it may be shiftedoutboard of the deck by pivoting link 129 to the outwardly extendinghorizontal position thereof.

We claim:

1. In a railroad car having a horizontally disposed vehicle receivingdeck extending longitudinally of said railroad car, the combinationcomprising a gangplank adapted to span the distance between the ends oftwo of said decks when two of said railroad cars are end coupledtogether, said gangplank having shaft means non-rotatably secured to theundersurface thereof adjacent a lateral edge thereof, a plurality ofhinge links each having a generally circular eye portion journalled onsaid shaft means at axially spaced apart positions relative to oneanother, said links each also having an arm portion extendingtangentially from the periphery of said eye portion and perpendicular tothe axis of said shaft means with a cross arm portion at the end of saidarm portion opposite said eye portion and extending beyond the sides ofsaid arm portion parallel to the axis of said shaft means, and a pair ofjournal straps for each of said links, each pair of said straps beingsecured to the upper surface of said deck laterally spaced from oneanother with said cross arm of saidlink being journalled thereunderagainst said deck so that said arm of said link extends longitudinallybetween said pair of journal straps, each pair of said journal strapsbeing positioned inwardly of the lateral end edge of the deck so thatsaid link is pivotable in a longitudinal plane about the axis of saidcross arm thereof to an outwardly extending position wherein said armportion lies against said deck and said eye portion is dependenttherefrom beyond said deck edge to support said gangplank flush withsaid deck in the horizontal 7 position thereof, said link beingpivotable to an inwardly retracted position thereof relative to saiddeck edge wherein said arm portion lies against said deck, saidgangplank thereby being pivotable about the axis of said shaft meansfrom either an outboard or inboard position thereof so that the arctraversed by the outboard end of the gangplank is adjustable to clearthe end of the deck on the other of said railroad cars.

2. In a railroad car having a horizontally disposed vehicle receivingdeck and support means positioned adjacent one edge of said deck, thecombination comprising a gangplank hinged to said edge of said deckadjacent said support means for pivotable movement outboard thereofabout a generally horizontal axis, said gangplank having a handle barsupported thereon with a portion of said handle bar extending therefromat a predetermined distance from the gangplank pivoting axis, a lockingbar journalled on said support means for rotation about an axistransverse to and spaced said predetermined distance from the gangplankpivoting axis, said locking bar having from the gangplank pivoting axis,said locking bar having a portion extending from said support meanstransverse to said handle bar in a position to receive said handle bartangentially against the periphery thereof when said gangplank ispivoted inboard to a raised position adjacent said support means, stopmeans on said extending portion of said locking bar for limitingmovement of said handle bar axially therealong, said locking bar havingan arm portion joined to said extending portion thereof at a pointspaced outboard from said stop means and extending from said extendingportion at an acute angle relative thereto so that said arm portion isengageable with said handle bar at a point spaced from the axis ofrotation of said locking bar and inwardly from the outer end of said armportion so that the arm portion is rotatable from a disengaged positionrelative to said handle bar into an angled engaging position with oneside thereof, said locking and handle bars being resiliently deformableto permit the angled arm portion of said locking bar to mesh with and berotated past said handle bar until the angled arm portion of the lockingbar is on the other side of said handle bar to thereby lock the samebetween said arm portion and .said stop means of said locking bar.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said handle bar includes aU-shaped hook portion disposed in a plane perpendicular to therotational axis of said locking bar in the raised position of saidgangplank, said extending portion of said locking bar of said gangplankbeing received in the open upper end of said U-shaped hook portion assaid gangplank is pivoted inboard to said raised position thereof, saidhook portion of said handle bar thereby locking said gangplank againstmovement in said plane of said hook portion and said angled arm portionof said locking bar locking said gangplank against pivotal movementabout said axis thereof.

4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said support meansincludes a vertical column with a channel section therein comprising avertical center web and a pair of spaced, parallel sides extendingrespectively from the opposite vertical edges of said center web inplanes perpendicular thereto, said support means also including a platereceived in said channel section and having a vertical center portiondisposed adjacent one of said sides of said column channel section, saidplate having a vertical flange portion disposed adjacent said center webof said column channel section and another vertical flange portiondisposed outside said column channel'section for rotatably supportingsaid locking bar thereon, and screw means threadably received in saidplate center portion perpendicular thereto so as to be threadable intoabutting engagement with said one side of said column channel section tothereby urge the outer vertical edge of said one flange portion of saidplate into frictional engagement with said other side of said columnchannel section to thereby detachably fasten said plate on said column.

5. In a superstructure adapted to be carried on a railroad flat car andhaving a horizontally disposed vehicle receiving deck' extendinglongitudinally of the railroad car and laterally between a pair ofvertical columns positioned adjacent one end of said car, thecombination comprising a gangplank hinged to one end of said deckadjacent one of said columns for pivotable movement 'in a verticallongitudinal plane, said gangplank having a'han-v dle bar supportedthereon so as to extend laterally from the outer longitudinal sidethereof, said one column having a locking bar journalled thereon forrotation about a horizontal longitudinal axis, said locking bar having aportion extending beyond said column in a position to receive saidhandle bar tangentially against the periphery thereof in a raisedposition of said gangplank, said locking bar having stop means securedto said extendingportion thereof for limiting movement of said handlebaraxially inward therealong, said locking bar having an arm portion joinedto said extending portion thereof and being reversely bent at an acuteangle relative thereto outwardly of said stop means whereby saidreversely bentarm portion of said locking bar is rotatable from adisengaged position relative to said handle bar into an engagingposition therewith wherein the outer end of said locking bar arm portionextends beyond said handle bar to serve as a lever arm for rotating saidarm portion into mesh with and resiliently past said handle bar untilsaid handle bar is locked between said reversely bent arm portionandsaid stop means of said locking bar.

6. In a railroad car having a horizontally disposed vehicle receivingdeck, the combination comprising a gangplank adapted to span thedistance between one edge of said deck and the adjacent edge of anotherof said decks on another of said railroad cars positioned adjacent saidrailroad car for transferring vehicles therebetween, hinge means havingone portion thereof pivotably connected to said gangplank near one endthereof and having another portion thereof spaced from said one portionpivotably connected to said deck adjacent said one edge thereof wherebythe pivotal connection of said gangplank with said hinge means ismovable in an are about the pivotal connection of said hinge means withsaid deck between positions respectively outwardly beyond and inwa dlyof said one deck edge so that the other end of said gangplank isrespectively movable between corresponding positions wherein said otherend of said gangplank clears and overlaps said adjacent edge of saidother deck on said other railroad car, said hinge means comprising a rigd link pivoted at one end thereof to said one end of said gangplank andpivoted at the other end thereof to the upper surface of said deck at apoint spaced inwardly of said one edge thereof, said link beingpivotable between extended and retracted positions relative to said onedeck edge in each of which positions said link lies adjacent the uppersurface of said deck whereby said one end of said gansplank is ivot bl sp rt d y s i qne and of sai link inwardly or outwardly of said one deckedge, said link including an arm portion extending intermediate saidends thereof and a cross ann portion joined to said other end thereofextending parallel to the axis of the pivotal connection of saidgangplank with said link, and a pair of spaced apart journal strapssecured to said upper surface of said deck at said point spaced inwardlyof said one edge thereof, said cross arm portion being journalledbetween said straps and said upper surface of said deck with said armportion extending therefrom for pivotal movement in the space betweensaid straps whereby said arm portion of said link lies flat against saidupper surface of said deck in both said extended and retracted positionsthereof for securely supporting said gangplank in either of saidpositions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, PrimaryExaminer.

DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Examiner.

